Darcy's Voyage: A Tale of Uncharted Love on the Open Seas (29 page)

Caroline attempted a compassionate smile. “I would not wish for you to be hurt.”

Elizabeth met her challenging gaze. “Let me be the one who decides that.”

“I beg your pardon,” replied Miss Bingley, her smile becoming insolent. “Excuse my interference. It was kindly meant.” She hastened away, leaving Elizabeth to ponder her words.

Elizabeth fumed quietly at the woman’s insolence.

***

A little later, when the meal was served, Elizabeth was distressed by the behaviours of her mother, father, sisters, and even Mr. Collins. It appeared as though her family had made an agreement to expose themselves as much as they could during the evening. She was grateful for Bingley and her sister that some of the exhibition had escaped
his
notice, and that
his
feelings were not of a sort to be much distressed by the folly that he must have witnessed. His two sisters, however, who were seated next to Bingley and across the table from Elizabeth, were a different matter. Elizabeth could see by their spiteful looks to each other that they were quite openly offended. And then there was Darcy. What was
he
to think of the family of the woman to whom he was married?

She could no longer bear the mortification and with a pained expression, excused herself from the table as soon as she finished eating and walked over to a table to get a refill of liquid refreshment.

As she stood with her back to her husband and her family, she heard her sister Lydia let out a playful wail, and Elizabeth felt her whole body tense at yet another display of reckless behaviour. Her eyes were closed in shame when she suddenly heard a whisper behind her, “I think now would be a good time, Elizabeth. Will you meet me out in the side alcove?”

Elizabeth silently nodded.

Darcy continued. “I do not deem it wise that we go out together. I shall go first, and you follow in a few minutes.”

Elizabeth nodded and watched him leave. She waited a few moments, and then, making sure no one took notice, she stealthily left. She was grateful for the days she spent at Netherfield, as she knew the house well, and did not need any direction to get to the alcove. She also knew that those who wanted to step outside for some fresh air would either go out to the front or the back courtyard.

She came to the door that led outside, and stepped out into a cool blast of late autumn evening air. While she attempted to accustom her eyes to the darkness, she felt Darcy take her hand, pulling her into the shadows of the alcove, and drew her close to him.

Darcy knew they could not remain out here too long as there was always the chance that someone would come out, but in addition to talking to her, there was one more thing he greatly desired to do. As the two looked at each other in the darkness, he caressed her face softly with his fingers, touching her lips lightly. As he moved his fingers slowly away, he simply paused, looking into her eyes.

Elizabeth looked up to see his silhouette, her thoughts just barely coherent, and before she was able to entertain any kind of verbal reflection, Darcy enveloped her with his arms and placed his lips over hers. Elizabeth’s answer was to close her eyes and return his fervent embrace. A sense of reassurance swept over her, convinced that he still loved her despite her family’s behaviour.

Slowly he pulled away. “I hope you do not find my behaviour inexcusable, Elizabeth, and although I did miss you terribly this past week, I did not ask you out here solely to steal a kiss, however pleasant it may have been.” He gently stroked her cheek.

Elizabeth looked up into his face, shadowed by the darkness of the moonless night.

Darcy’s arms went around her again, holding her tightly. “Elizabeth, as soon as Collins leaves, I should like to come and speak with your father.”

“About our marriage?”

“Not quite yet.”

Elizabeth lifted her head and gave him a curious glance.

“I have it on good advice, from someone who knows your father well, that I ought to first go to him and tell him I wish to court you. Then, once I am secured of his approval, which hopefully, will not be too great a length of time, I shall tell him the truth that we are already married.”

“Someone who knows my father well?”

Darcy drew away and smiled. “Yes. While I was in London last week I paid a visit to Cheapside. I met your aunt and uncle.”

“You met my Aunt and Uncle Gardiner?” Her great joy in hearing this was suddenly tempered by the realization that he most likely told them. “And you told them about us?” she asked softly.

“Yes. Everything.”

Elizabeth tried to catch her breath. “What did they say?”

“Obviously they were surprised and, of course, concerned. They knew something had happened to you because you were so altered when you arrived in America. Of course they had no idea you had married some strange man on the ship with the agreement that the marriage would be annulled later.”

Elizabeth tried to fathom this information. “And what did they say?”

Darcy laughed. “Your uncle gave me quite the interrogation and your aunt gave me the strictest lecture I have ever received about how you deserve only the best. I did assure them that I have no intention of annulling the marriage and that I am deeply in love with you. I believe we all left fairly satisfied in the end.”

Elizabeth shook her head in great incredulity. “I cannot believe you visited my aunt and uncle!”

“Neither can I,” Darcy laughed. “But I did! And I found them very pleasant, indeed! You should expect a letter from your aunt shortly.”

The love and admiration Elizabeth felt for her husband in taking the initiative to visit her aunt and uncle suddenly gave way to a lucid realization of the words he had just spoken.

“What did you just say?”

“You should expect a letter from your aunt shortly.”

“No, before that. You told them that you have no intention of annulling the marriage and…”

He reached out and took each of Elizabeth’s hands in his. “I am deeply in love with you, Elizabeth.”

Tears unexpectedly came to her eyes as he tenderly spoke these words. Searching his face in the darkness that surrounded them, she was able to detect a glimmer in his eyes, as well. “William, I love you, too.”

He pulled her close, wrapping her in his arms. Lowering his head, he placed a few kisses along her cheek, drawing closer to her ear. Upon reaching it with his lips, he whispered, “I should like to come specifically to talk with your father on the Saturday that Mr. Collins leaves, if that is acceptable to you.”

His attentions caused shivers of delight to course through her and prevented her from being able to attend to his words without making a concerted effort. “That… should be fine.”

“Good,” he said, bringing his hands up to her shoulders and gently stroking her neck with his thumbs. “In the meantime, I believe I should like to join Bingley when he visits your family. Would tomorrow or the following day be satisfactory?”

Elizabeth took in a deep breath to counter the pleasant assault his simple touch was waging within her. “I believe tomorrow would be the better of the two. My two youngest sisters have invited the officers over the following day, and my father is likely to be in a most disagreeable mood that whole day because of it.”

Darcy laughed. “Then if it suits Bingley, we shall come the following day.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “No, that is the day the officers are coming and my father…”

Darcy nodded and laughed. “And that is why
I
plan to be there!”

The music began and Darcy extended his hand. “Shall we return inside?”

Instead of answering him, she unexpectedly reached up on her toes and placed a quick, tender kiss on his cheek.

“What was that for?”

Elizabeth tilted her head as she answered. “Does there have to be a reason?”

Darcy laughed. “No, I would never demand a reason for you to kiss me, my love.”

Elizabeth looked up, wishing she could see her husband’s expression. “There is a reason. It is for loving me despite my family.”

She heard him take in a deep breath, and he could discern the pain in her voice.

Darcy pulled her close as he said to her, “I was well aware of the distress you were suffering in there.”

“And what of yourself, William? I cannot help but wonder what influence my family’s ill-mannered behaviour would have had if we had been mere acquaintances and not already married when you met them.”

Darcy paused as he considered her thought.

At length, when he did not answer, Elizabeth responded, “I believe they would have driven you away. You would have been conflicted in your heart and mind, struggling to know whether to follow your feelings or listen to all you have been taught about the woman whom you should marry and the type of family she must have.”

Darcy breathed in deeply, gathering his thoughts. “Elizabeth, it is of no use conjecturing what would have happened if this or that had or had not occurred. I am married to you, I love you, and I would not wish it to be any different. Do you believe me?”

Elizabeth’s heart gave a small leap as he spoke those words. Her eyes filled with tears of joy as she whispered back, “Yes, I believe you.”

He held her close to him, leaning over and placing a kiss on the top of her head just as he had the night she slept in his arms on the ship. Only this time, she was aware of it

They remained still, content to keep themselves in the solitude of this alcove, but Darcy, hearing a rustling in the shrubbery nearby, quickly said, “We must get back. You go on inside, and I shall be in within a few minutes.”

Elizabeth reluctantly pulled away and returned inside the house. Darcy glanced out over to the row of trees and bushes that bordered the alcove. It was too dark to see anything, and not hearing anything more, he quickly opened the door and took himself in.

When they met back inside, they were finally able to dance their second dance, which they did in almost complete silence, quite confident of their love for each other and content simply to enjoy each other’s presence.

As the dance ended, people began to leave, and Mrs. Bennet was perfectly satisfied with the events of the evening. She quitted the house under the delightful persuasion that, allowing for the necessary preparation of settlements, new carriages, and wedding clothes, she should undoubtedly see her eldest daughter settled at Netherfield in the course of three or four months.

Of having another daughter married to Mr. Collins, she thought with equal certainty, and with considerable, though not equal pleasure. Elizabeth was the least dear to her of all her children; and though the man and the match were quite good enough for her, the worth of each was eclipsed by Mr. Bingley and Netherfield.

If she had not been so set on her second eldest daughter marrying Mr. Collins, she might have paid more heed to the talk that was beginning to circulate about Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, but she did not consider Elizabeth good enough to tempt a man of his means and therefore paid no notice.

Darcy watched as the Bennets walked out the door. As far as he was concerned the ball was over, but he knew he must remain until the final guests took their leave. He walked over to a window that overlooked the front, and in the subdued light of the torches, watched as Elizabeth was brought up into the carriage.

With a small smile of satisfaction touching his face, he thought to himself,
It went superbly!
He reproached himself for those days on the ship when he had been reluctant to express his feelings to her. If he had, neither of them would have had these months of wondering, misery, and resignation. How good it felt to tell her he loved her, and even greater to hear her voice the same.

The sound of footsteps behind him and the shrill voice of Caroline Bingley shook him out of his reverie. “Mr. Darcy, there you are!”

Caroline joined him, looking out the window into the darkness. “I cannot tell you how grateful I am that this ball is almost over! Has it not been simply the most wearisome gathering of people you have ever seen?”

When he did not answer, she proceeded. “Those Bennets! You must agree with me, Mr. Darcy, that their incessantly ill behaviour tonight exceeded anything!”

Darcy pursed his lips to avoid lashing out in anger.

“And that Miss Elizabeth Bennet! I am still quite unsure as to her reasons for travelling to America. What do we really know of her character? I am still firmly of the opinion that she found herself disgraced and…”

Darcy did not answer her immediately, making a futile attempt to calm himself. He finally broke the silence with definite, but controlled, anger. “Miss Bingley, I have it on the highest authority that she did not travel there to take care of any
disgrace
, as you call it!”

Caroline’s eyes widened at his anger, but she remained steadfast. “Certainly, sir, anything you hear from her friends and family around this uncivilized neighbourhood would be biased, I am sure, to keep it…”

“It is on my
own
authority, Miss Bingley!” Darcy’s eyes glared at her. “Elizabeth Bennet was on the same ship as myself travelling to America! And I can guarantee that she was
not in any way disgraced
!”

Caroline’s jaw dropped and she felt herself grow suddenly cold. As she gasped at his words, her throat constricted and nothing more than a squawk came out. She quickly swallowed and muttered a conciliatory, “Oh.”

“Now, Miss Bingley, if you will excuse me!”

As Darcy left, he was approached by one of Netherfield’s servants. “Sir, if you would please come up to your room. You are needed there.”

Darcy quickly left for his room and was met by Durnham, who informed him that one of the maids had seen an unknown man leaving his room.

“I have made a thorough going-over of the room, and there are a few pieces of expensive jewellery missing. Your set of diamond cufflinks and a neckcloth pin. I believe it was most likely some ruffian wanting some easy money.”

“Thank you, Durnham.”

The servant looked at Darcy. “Is there anything we can do for you, sir? We deeply apologize for this inconvenience.”